“Why do you come to church?” I asked one Sunday a few years ago. They may not have been particularly old but I felt sure each child would have their reasons and I was intrigued to hear what they might be. Each of them had made a profession of faith, appropriate to their age – they certainly weren’t on the fringes – so I was curious to discover what they thought being part of church was all about.
And so it went on …... continue reading
One of my favourite titles for God is The Promise Keeper. I use it often when writing for children, and The Promise Maker too. Because the Lord both makes and keeps promises.
The Old Testament is infused with God's promises to send the Christ, the anointed one, His chosen King. And in the New Testament we meet those faithful believers who are waiting for that promise to be kept. One of them is Simeon.
Simeon trusted God to send His Christ, and was faithfully awaiting that day. But the Lord, in His grace, also made an extra promise, just for Simeon - that Simeon himself would see this Christ with his own eyes. God didn't have to make this promise. It was a loving, generous gift to an old man.... continue reading
1. The Book of the Covenant E-Book Deal
Until midday on Thursday, the e-book version of The Book of the Covenant is available for just £1 in the UK and $1.99 in the US.
2. 5 Tips for Effective Public Scripture Reading
Bobby Giles shares 5 tips for reading the Bible in public.
3. 7 Ways to Create a Reading Culture in Your Church
Mike Leake at Servants of Grace looks at 7 ways to create a reading culture in your church.
4. How to read a Christian book
A helpful article from The Briefing.
5. St. Helen's Training: Bible Overview, Part 3 and 4
Part 3 and 4 of the St. Helen's Training Bible Overview.
6. And finally…
In case you missed it before, our video of the week, 'Bake through the Bible Interview':
Found something that you think should make it on to the On to a Good Thing round-up? Send it to: ontoagoodthing@thegoodbook.co.uk
Christians are people of the new covenant made by Jesus’ work on the cross. But what exactly is a covenant? And how does Christ’s new covenant fulfill all the other covenants that God made with his people in the Old Testament?
This is a thoroughly enjoyable and extremely well written book. It has a fluidity to it that makes it hard to put down! It is a thrilling read as it clearly unpacks the concept and significance of God’s covenantal relationships with his people through the biblical narrative. Above all though this book will warm your heart and encourage you spiritually as it helps you to rejoice in the God of the covenant and leads you to the Lord Jesus.
Read more HERE and get the ebook version for just £1 until midday on Thursday. Simply use the code botc1013 at the checkout.
It's been a great service. Matthew 28:18-20 has been read. The preacher has reminded the congregation of the awesome gift of grace that Christ has lavished on his people. Forgiven people have praised God for the fact they have been cleansed, washed whiter than snow. It's a truth more powerful than any fairy story. It's a wonderful narrative that has the ultimate happy ending for those who are in Christ. And then it comes. The call to action. The call to get out there and tell others of God's wonderful mercy.
Instantly, the congregation divides into 7 camps. There's...... continue reading
I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord Jesus. I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ. Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.
Philemon v4-7
Why not take a moment to pray that you - and your brothers and sisters in your local church - will grow in that same faith, love and eagerness to work together for the sake of the gospel?
As the presenter on BBC Radio Four put it, when it comes to where humans come from, evolutionists are having to “rethink what we thought we knew”.
The discovery of the skull of a human (or human ancestor, depending on how you choose to label it) in the Republic of Georgia, is being seen by some scientists as evidence that humans are all descended from a common ancestor. This overturns the prevailing theory of the last forty years, which was that there were several human-type species around, out of which humanity evolved.
So Justin Webb, interviewing one of the scientists who had been analyzing the skull, really wasn’t exaggerating when he spoke of the science community needing to rethink what they thought they knew. And in saying that, he pointed out a nuance in how science is “done” which is rarely mentioned in school lessons or in Richard Dawkins’ books.... continue reading
Recent research has shown that divorce rates are just as high among Christians as among non-Christians. It seems that even Christians have trouble maintaining a healthy relationship in which both people feel fulfilled. Part of the problem is that happiness in a marriage is not automatic. Creating a great marriage takes work and if we cant keep love alive in the relationship, then the conflicts are going to overcome us.
These days of course it's not just the relationship between husband and wife themselves that create problems in a marriage. The financial pressures we find ourselves under with unemployment high and relatively lower rates of pay, demands of children who are more worldly than we ever were at their age, the constant need in secular terms to prove ourselves over and over again all contribute to the strains put on a marriage, as of course does a complete feeling of being overwhelmed and tired by everything going on in your life.
So what can we do? Avoiding these kind of problems (or fixing them if it is already happening in your marriage) involves going back to the basics of what God intends a Christian marriage to be. To understand why marriages struggle - as I know from experience, they all do at some time - we need to understand the nature of our sin. To make marriages work, we need to understand how to apply the truth about God and His salvation.
Whether you are a newlywed or you have been married for years, Tim Chester's Gospel Centred Marriage can help you and your spouse create the marriage that you’ve always wanted. Chester advises us in clear, captivating terms what happens when the cross is lifted high in Christian marriage. His advice is intensely biblical and intensely practical. Many couples (especially those who read it together) will find this book to be a life-giving page turner.
Get it HERE for just £1 until midnight on Monday. Simply use code gcm1013 at the checkout.
Faith groups raise lobbying Bill concerns with PM
New legal battle over gay adverts on London buses
Challenges for the gospel: Christian witness and the future of Anglicanism in Sydney
Rand Paul warns of war on Christianity
Q&A: Billy Graham's Warning Against an Epidemic of 'Easy Believism'
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We got around to 1 Timothy 2 v 8-15 at homegroup recently, and it was an educating experience for me as a leader. The passage has been a battleground for alternative interpretations over the last 30 years, so I was interested to discover how influenced my group members have been by these views, when our church's preaching and practice has been uncompromisingly complementarian (women and men are equal, but have different roles) for the last 30 years.
We had a great time talking about how men should pray, not fight. We had a good discussion about the particular issues the women in the group faced on the clothing v godliness issue. I spent a long time on these two questions, secretly hoping that the discussion over verses 11-15 would be squeezed a little shorter.
We had 20 minutes of slightly confusing discussion, which raised more questions than it was able to answer, but my issue as a leader was: how do I land the study in an encouraging and substantial place, rather than leave group members going home with their heads reeling in confusion. Three big points occurred to me:... continue reading
